Author's Note: Sorry for the wait folks! Writer's block can be a real pain in the toosh! But here it is now, chapter six and hopefully I can get chapter seven written soon. Oh also, I'm pretty sure there's a couple of spelling errors in here...I spell like I hear it and the spell check on my computer isn't the best. So if anyone spots the spelling errors and knows the correct way to spell them...message me with the correct way so I can put them into my computer in the chance of ever having to use them again I can get them right. Enjoy!!

::WARNING:: I do use a couple of swear words. I got some messages from a couple people who weren't comfortable with swearing so I told them I'd put this warning up when there's swearing in the chapter. Nothing too serious..."Damn" and "Ass" are the only two I remember writing. But just thought I'd throw that out there. You've been warned

Chapter Six: And so it begins

Donatello sighed as he twirled the dart his brothers brought him between his fingers. If anyone else had seen it, they'd have disregarded it as just another broken twig; to Donnie though, that "twig" was a deadly weapon. Just what had stopped his brother from stepping on it, he didn't know, but what he did know was that seemingly harmless "stick" was laced with a lethal amount of poison. Even the smallest of pricks could have done away with any of them. He was certainly glad none had hit Mikey.

"There weren't anymore lying around, were there?" He questioned, looking up at his two oldest brothers. The possibility of there being more of those darts lying around up there brought a whole new wave of horror through him. If one of those darts got into the wrong hands—or worse yet a child's—or even if someone accidentally stumbled and pricked themselves, innocent lives could quickly be ended.

"Only one I found." Raph answered, his arms crossed and his face stone serious. Stepping up next to him, Michelangelo glared at the dart as if trying to get it to explode.

"That's what they were shooting at me before they switched to guns." He said, voice low and cold with hate. Setting it down, Don turned his attention back to his computer.

"That's just weird, even for the Shredder. I mean, if he were going to have the Foot ambush us, they'd have ninja weapons. This looks more like a blow dart used by jungle tribes in the amazons or something." Quickly bringing up a few pictures, Donatello began his investigation into whom or what could have made such an innocent-but deadly- weapon. He couldn't help his mind from wandering into the thought of what could have happened to Gwen. If she'd been hit with a dart like that one, well, he didn't need to think any further on what would have happened to her.

"We did find this though. It has some numbers on it. We weren't sure if you could trace it back to whoever made it or not." Leo said pulling the small silver cylinder from his belt. It was no longer filled with the strange liquid from before, but one could clearly see where it had once been. Eyes widening, Don reached out to take it from his brother gently. He'd only ever seen anything similar to it once, and he remembered what it had done.

"It looks like a tranquilizer dart. Was it lying near this dart?" He asked, sliding his chair over to his magnifying glass to examine it closer.

"No, not really. We found that lying in the gutter. Can you find out what was in it?" Leonardo questioned, arms crossed as he stood in careful attention of his second youngest brother. He never doubted that Donatello could figure even the strangest problems out, but yet, he still couldn't help but ask that question whenever it rose up in his mind. He saw the corner of Donatello's mouth tweak up into a small smirk as he got up to move to another table.

"Did Einstein develop the Theory of Relativity?" Picking a Q-Tip up from a small drawer, Donatello scrapped the inside of the cylinder clean before smearing a sample onto his microscope. Frowning as he looked down at it, he sighed and moved to his computer.

"I can do it; it's just going to take me a little while. It appears to be more than one compound. Whatever it is though, I don't think it was meant as a pick me up." He answered before punching in the serial number engraved on the side of the smaller dart.

"I can however, try to get a lock on where this came from right now. I've managed to upgrade my computer hardware enough that it can now do a tack of any serial number I give it, tracing it all the way back to the day, time, and place it was manufactured. So in just a matter of seconds most times, I can get…got it!"

The four brothers crowded around the bright, glowing computer screen as Donatello scrolled through a page filled with serial numbers and dates. It was almost amazing the way Donatello's mind worked and the things he could come up with to better serve their lives. He always joked that if the outside world accepted them more, he would probably be rich with all the computer upgrades and video game systems he could create. His brothers would usually chuckle at that, though they all knew that it was true.

"Higgins Pharmaceuticals Incorporated…Midtown, New York…August first, two-thousand and seven." Donatello read, matching the two numbers.

"Midtown? How'd somet'ing dat was made in Midtown make it all da way up 'ere?" Raphael questioned, squinting at the screen for a better look. He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to that question, particularly after hearing the word "pharmaceutical".

"It's not that far of a jump, Raph. Well, at least now we can fully rule out that the Shredder is involved in any of this. This is way too advanced even for him. It still doesn't answer who was shooting at you, though, Mikey. I mean, it could have been anyone really." Donatello turned to look at his brothers. None of them seemed too happy to hear that deduction, least of all Michelangelo. He knew he had to do something to help, he just wished he could think of something. As much as he hated to admit it, Donatello knew that finding whoever took Gwen was going to be about as easy as finding a needle in a hay stack.

"We gotta do something though, Don. Gwen's out there somewhere! She could be in a lot of trouble!" Mikey exclaimed, pacing back and forth through his brother's laboratory. He could feel the burning in his leg return and he knew he should sit down to keep his stitches from tearing, but he couldn't help it. Sighing and glancing at his brothers, Don frowned when he saw the small red spot appear on Mike's bandage.

"I know Gwen's out there, Mikey. But you better sit down before those sutures rip and I have to re-stitch them." Spinning around, the brothers all swore they saw a red spark flare up in Michelangelo's eyes.

"Damn it Don! I don't care! My wife and kid are out there! Put yourself in my shell! What would you be doing right now? Would you still be sitting there clicking away on your computer? I doubt it. Now are we going to do anything or not? Cuz I have a real good hunch that whoever was shooting at me was hired by Higgins Pharmaceuticals." He growled back, his hands clenched in fists of rage as he glared at his stunned purple banded brother before looking at the other two.

For the longest moment of their still semi-young lives, no one spoke. The air was so thick with tension not even one of Leo's katanas could slice through. True, the four had experienced life threatening encounters before, but that was before they'd "retired" from protecting the city and long before they'd even dreamed of meeting people who were willing to love them for who they were. This was different, and some how, far more personal than just their own lives being at stake.

Donatello had to agree though, had he been in Mike's place, he would probably be fuming too. He'd be doing everything he could possibly think of, rationally or not, in order to find them and get them back safe and sound. He could remember how upset he had been when their Sensei had gone missing all those years before, and how scared he'd been when Leo had been nearly pulverized by the Shredder when they were still teens. But still, he knew that even then, his fears and anger could not compare to what his brother must have been feeling right then.

Finally, the silence became too much for any of them to stand. It had been a well known fact ever since they were young that when the four of them were together, things hardly ever stayed quiet for very long. This perhaps, so they decided anyways, was why Splinter had chosen to give them each their own separate rooms. Had he not, whenever they were sent to their rooms as punishment, they used the time more as a recess rather than a time to meditate and think about what they did wrong. Stepping up next to Michelangelo, Raph reached out and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. He knew it wasn't much, but it was at least a step in the right direction.

"Don't worry Mike…we're gonna find Gwen an' yer baby. No mattah what it takes." He said, trying to bring some sort of comfort to his brother. Snapping into action, Don turned his attention back to his computer once more.

"I'll get started on analyzing the different compounds in this serum, find out what it was and what it's capable of doing. Once I've got that taken care, I'll call April and Casey and have them help me set up surveillance cameras in and around Higgins Pharmaceuticals Corporate building. If Mike's right and those thugs were hired by someone working on the inside, they're bound to give themselves away somehow."

"And I'll make sure to expand my patrol route in order to keep a careful eye on the place, in case anything suspicious happens I can be there to take care of it right away." Leo added, his arms hanging back down at his sides as he started for the door. Mike turned and felt as if a bit of the weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"I'm coming with you, Leo. I'm not going to sit around waiting for my shell cell to start ringing. Besides, I want a piece of whoever took Gwen."

Gwen felt the cold steel against her skin before she opened her eyes. Her entire body ached from head to toe. It felt stiff, as if she had been lying in one position for far too long and her head was such a haze she couldn't help but wonder if she'd been drinking the night before and was then suffering from the worst hangover of her life. When she went to place a hand to her head, however, and found that her arms were unable to move, her eyes shot open into the blinding light above her.

The room was white and bare, and visions of all the movies she'd ever seen with rooms similar to that one began flashing through her mind. All of them cold, white, and bare—none of them good. She knew her nightmare had been real, and she had a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach that it had only just begun. Pressing her lips together, she pulled and tugged with all her might to release her arms and legs from the straps holding her to the bed and as she attempted to sit up, her neck was quickly popped as it moved while her head stayed in one place. She'd been completely strapped down onto the bed, unable to move or look around.

Fear washed over her as she heard a heavy metal door whoosh open and two shadows fell over her. She wanted so badly to kick and thrash about, to break free from her holds and make a mad dash for the door. Even though she had no clue where she was, she was sure if she could make it to the nearest manhole that she could find her way back to the lair. That was, of course, if she was even still in the city, or more importantly the state. Gulping hard, she clamped her eyes shut and pretended to be asleep again.

"Ah, good evening Ms. Masterson. I trust you slept well?" A male voice questioned stepping up next to her. Gwen's mind raced as she tried to figure out a way to get hold of Michelangelo for help. Something about the man's voice made her flesh crawl and she did not like it. Eyes still closed, she wished with all her might that she'd make them disappear and be back safe and sound in bed curled up in Mike's arms the next time she opened her eyes.

"It's foolish to pretend, Ms. Masterson. We have you hooked to machines which monitor your sleep cycle. We know the moment you fall asleep, when you fall into deep sleep, and the instant you begin waking up. Now open your eyes and look at the doctor when he's talking to you." A new voice ordered from her other side. Unlike the first voice which held a certain air of sophistication to it, this new voice was rough as if most of their life they'd been ridiculed and rejected for one reason or another. Almost tempted to keep her eyes closed, she had the feeling if she did, they'd make her regret it. Slowly opening her eyes again, she looked up into two very different faces.

"There's a smart girl. You must forgive our precautions in strapping you down. Can't have our prize running off now can we? Ah, but where are my manners? My name is Usagi Higgins. This is my associate William Markus. And you must be Guenevere Masterson. It certainly is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Usagi said, giving her a forced and obviously fake polite smile as he looked down at her. Now that she had a face and name to go with the flesh crawling voice, it only made her feel even worse. There was definitely something not right about him. Something in his eyes told her he was up to no good.

"Usagi Higgins? That's a bit of a contradiction isn't it? It's like saying 'wasabi kemosabi.' Both words are from two totally and completely different cultures." Gwen finally said, hoping her wit and logic wouldn't give out on her anytime soon. And if that failed, she had plenty of sarcasm from Raph to use as backup. Usagi gave a bone chilling smile as he stood a little straighter and placed his hands behind his back.

"So it is. You're very perceptive, that's good. You'll need to keep your wits about you." He answered, a dark gleam coming to his eyes. Gwen could feel her heart begin to pick up speed.

"Hey look, Buster Brown…I want out of here, and I want out of here right now. You have no idea who you're dealing with. I've got friends who could kick your ass before you could say 'Top o' da mornin' or Konichewa…whatever you say." Gwen threatened. A very small part of her hoped that threat would get him to release her, even though she could tell by his demeanor that it was no use to even try. William gave a defiant laugh as he shook his head, still staring down at her.

"You don't possibly think that those freaks of nature you call friends could harm us do you? They don't even know where you are. It could take them months before they even get the slightest clue as to where we've brought you. Besides, they should all be dead right about now anyways. Usagi's men were trained in every form of combat imaginable. From hand-to-hand down to jungle warfare. They're far more—"

"Markus! Silence yourself. Mustn't scare our guest. Now then Ms. Masterson, we are well aware of who you are and what we are dealing with. Hence is to why we chose you. Now then, be a good girl and lie still. The less you squirm, the less this is going to hurt. For now." Usagi raised a small needle and allowed its tip to glimmer in the light before bringing it down and into Gwen's skin. Whimpering, Gwen closed her eyes and tried to do as Splinter taught her to block out pain.

"Should I bring in the others now, Doctor Higgins?" William asked, moving for the door.

"Yes, Markus. Let's see just how well our young friend can withstand pain, shall we?"

Oh Mikey…help…please?

Greggory stood in the observation room silently watching. He'd been on his rounds of cleaning when he heard the stifled screams coming from Gwen's room. Last time he had checked in on her, she was still sleeping peacefully. Slipping into the observation room once finding her door locked, he stood in horror as his brother and their employer poked and prodded her with different things. Droplets of blood dabbled down her bare skin and he could see where the straps were already starting to chafe at her wrists and ankles. He could feel his stomach twisting and turning as his own brother proceeded to take a long needle and very slowly press it through the soft flesh of her thigh. He had no clue how long they'd been torturing her like that and frankly he didn't think he wanted to know.

Standing there for a few moments more, he watched as the two men set the various items down on a tray and turned to leave. Making sure they were gone, Greggory rushed down the hall to the medical supply room before quickly making his way back to Gwen's solitary cell. Usagi and William had left her to bleed unconscious and naked on the table and that made Greggory's heart go out to her. Stepping up next to her side, he bit his lip as he slowly began cleaning and wrapping her wounds just to keep them from bleeding anymore.

"Poor lady. Why are my brother and Doctor Higgins doing this to you? You don't have to be scared with me around, I won't hurt you. My name's Greggory and I'll be your friend." He said softly, always one to believe that even if someone was unconscious they could still hear and understand. Picking up the blanket he brought with, he very gently laid it over her before shoving the cart of surgical tools out of the room and into a closet in a feeble attempt to keep them away from his brother.